- 4 months ago
Pepe Lacey is joined by Neil Allen to discuss the latest headlines from PO4. The pair discuss Nicolas Schmid and Connor Ogilvie’s injuries, Ben Killip, Mark Kosznovszky and more.
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00:00Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Pompey Talk. I'm Dad Clay Lacey and today I'm joined by
00:10Neil Allen to discuss all things going on at Pompey. Neil, you were obviously at John Messino's
00:15press yesterday. What was the mood like in the camp following Sunday's goalless draw against
00:24Southampton? Yeah, and usually it was held at Fratton Park and the reason it was held at Fratton
00:29Park is because they took the team photos for the season. So normally it's held at the training
00:36ground and we're called this Fratton Park and you've got the various teams there. So you have
00:42the Academy picture, Pompey women picture and the men's picture as well, which takes quite a while
00:49because they get all the sponsors. I don't suppose if anyone's seen the footage that the club put out
00:56yesterday. But they leave like two seats, two or three seats for sponsors to sit in on the team
01:02photo. And Pompey put a bit of footage out with Cameron Lang remarking on a couple who said look
01:08like the Mitchell brothers. But that was the state of affairs yesterday. So we've got Fratton Park
01:13and yes, different environments. And obviously, John Messino, he's always very chilled and relaxed
01:21anyway, whether Pompey win, lose or as Sunday was a draw. So yeah, it's probably about a really good
01:28start to the season. They're ninth in the table and beaten away from home. Who would have thought that?
01:33Um, and, um, yeah, everything is going quite well at the moment, isn't it? Oh, I don't know. I'm
01:40tempted fate here, aren't I? I'm tempted fate here, aren't I? I don't know. I can't believe you said that
01:45so early doors as well. Yeah. Sheffield wants to rock up with their one point, their embargoes and
01:50their protests. What's going to happen? Oh, it's written in the stars. It's written in the stars.
01:55One thing that would have been spoken about yesterday, I'm sure, uh, it's been going around
02:01all week is the, uh, it's the handshake incident, um, between John Messino and still on Sunday.
02:08Um, some people found it quite funny. Um, others have said there's a bit of rivalry between the
02:15two. What do you make of it? And what did, uh, John Messino say about it yesterday?
02:19It was really intriguing press conference actually after the game on Sunday. Um, it was very
02:25Harry Redknapp-esque, John Messino, the way, the way he talked about it. And he made a
02:29little quip to me about, oh, I was very impressed when he ran on the pitch to get the ball early
02:34on. I think it was just, I don't know, there was a bit of little blow. There was like slide
02:39digs or something. Yeah. It was, it was really, it was really interesting. It was, he made a
02:44bit of a laugh and a joke about it, John Messino, with a twinkle in his eye. Um, it's very
02:48reminiscent of what Redknapp could do at times as a manager. Um, so yeah. And
02:55he, he wasn't invited in for a drink afterwards as well. Um, he said he always invites managers
03:01in for a drink, but I don't think he's that too, that bothered really. Um, it was, uh,
03:07as he said in, he said in his quotes afterwards that he said, I think he said the mention about
03:10that the manager was talking in his ear a lot, all the, all the game, uh, which is quite
03:15unusual. Um, opposition managers don't normally speak to opposition managers during games,
03:20uh, about instance and things. And, um, any of that from the press box? I know the press
03:26box is just behind. I can't hear that. No, just seeing them. 30,000 stadium. I've just
03:33seen him go to come together. Did you see any of it? No, I can't hear what's being said
03:38there. Oh, John Messino spent all game basically haranguing the fourth official as he does for
03:43the Norwich incident. Probably after the Norwich incident a couple of weeks. Yes. But clearly
03:49the handshake was very pointed, isn't it? It gripped his hand longer than usual. Um,
03:54he knew exactly what he was doing, John Messino. So it will still by surprise, but, um, it's
04:00what I put it out the other day on Twitter, right? It's a match report actually, because
04:04you don't remember the game that much, are you really? Nil-nil away from home. The big
04:09talking points, John Westwood's wig, John Messino's handshake, the Tifo nonsense with
04:16BT, Sance, um, and then the, the press release where the guy had a pop at Pompey in a press
04:23release, uh, and the steward, the fan posing as a steward's either one as well that I think
04:28we will, we will remember. And, uh, I was speaking to Andy Moon about this yesterday at
04:32the, at, um, at the, before the presser. And it's like, we'd love to know what really
04:38happen with that. Uh, there's so many questions there. How did it, how did the, the, um, the
04:43person posed as a steward? How was he caught? Uh, I wasn't aware he got there because you
04:49had to, when you got on the coach, your name was ticked off and see whether you were there
04:55or not. So surely he would have clocked before he even got on the coach, whether he'd have
05:00been allowed in or not. So the fact he managed to get to St. Mary's in the first place, I think
05:04that's, I think that's very good going. I'm not, by the way, I'm not championing
05:09everyone to pose as steward to get into games before people complain. But I, I just, I think
05:15it intrigues many, many of us what happened. The whole machinations around it. Um, but
05:22yeah, so that, that, that's the, that's the South Coast derby in a nutshell, wasn't it
05:26really? Uh, you can bicker about whose fans are the loudest and quietest. Um, um, but, but
05:33those, those things particularly stand out for me and we will remember them looking
05:37back, trifling things, um, irrelevant things, but they stick in your mind, don't
05:43they? Things like that.
05:44Yeah. It's what makes a derby at the end of the day. On a more serious note, um, there
05:48was a couple of key talking points from in the game, the injuries to Connor Ogilvie
05:53and Nicholas Schmidt. There was, um, John Cena provided a little bit of an injury update
05:57yesterday regarding Nicholas Schmidt in particular. Um, what's his sort of situation? And it
06:02it doesn't look too bright, does it?
06:04No, obviously he's fractured his hand. I think it's one of the bones in his right
06:08hand actually. Um, so he's out for, it could be up to 12 weeks, uh, which is a real blow.
06:17I did ask John Cena afterwards, how did he actually do that? I'm not seeing, quite seeing
06:21the footage there. He obviously careers into, into, into Ogilvie. Ogilvie's had a little
06:28new instrument fellows, hasn't he? Um, but, uh, I'm not quite sure what, what caused it
06:33exactly. Did he plant him on the floor? Did it hit him Ogilvie? I'm not sure, but it's
06:39obviously a very serious injury and he tried to play on and couldn't possibly with a broken
06:44right hand effectively. So that's a, that's a big blow for Pompey, which I know that we'll
06:51talk about goalkeepers in a minute. And then Connor Ogilvie, uh, he's regarded as 50-50
06:56to face Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday with his neck injury. So then if he's not available,
07:02that'll bring in potentially Jordan Williams at left back, who I thought had a superb game
07:09when he came on, on, on Sunday, really good game. Uh, or the, uh, the forgotten, um, Jacob
07:16Farrell. I only forgot his name then as well, didn't I? I've forgotten he is. I've forgotten
07:21Jacob Farrell. Um, bizarrely in his 14 months at the club, he's only made two squads. Although
07:29it has to be said primarily, almost exclusively that he's down to injuries, uh, he had last
07:35season. Having said that, he started against Reading in the Carabao Cup this season. And
07:40that's the only time he's made a squad and been involved in Pompey this, this term, despite
07:44being fit. So he got a feel for the lad. He came in, got his injury and Connor Ogilvie
07:50has been absolutely magnificent. And his first choice left back, nobody in the world can
07:56argue with that. I know some people love arguing, but everyone can surely agree on that one.
08:01So yes. So potentially that, that's all potentially. So if Ogilvie doesn't make it, Pompey are looking
08:06at Williams or Farrell at left back. Would you, I'm going to put you on the spot here with
08:12Jacob Farrell against Sheffield Wednesday, who we know are slightly weaker opposition
08:16given their embargoes and everything that's gone on behind the scenes. Would you bring
08:22in Jacob Farrell if Connor Ogilvie wasn't, um, wasn't fit? Would Jacob, this contest sort
08:28of be the right sort of time to bring him back into the fray?
08:32Yeah. If Ogilvie is unavailable, um, I think he should bring Farrell back. He's, he's in
08:38as a reserve left back. We've seen very little of him, obviously highly regarded. The only
08:43reason he didn't play last year was, was injury. Uh, obviously they're, they're easing him in
08:48this little bit at some stage, but it was injury. That's why he didn't play last year,
08:52not through lack of ability or struggling to settle or anything like that. He's now available.
08:58So yeah, if Ogilvie can't make it, I would like to see Farrell start. We've seen, we've
09:04seen him twice. Um, obviously Sheffield United in the league last season when he had, he had
09:11a very difficult game until Raksuiki came off about the hour mark and then he was allowed
09:16to flourish a bit and got forward and it was a better performance. Um, so, and then he
09:21was against Reading and it was a poor performance in the team against Reading, wasn't it? So yeah,
09:25I would like to see him start at left back if Ogilvie's unavailable.
09:29I mean, the, the other conundrum is who John Massino plays in goal. Um, you mentioned it
09:35there about Ben Killip. He obviously came on as the substitute on Sunday. Um, he'd only
09:41played, played twice before that, um, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday last season. And then
09:47he, he could be back in, back in on, on, um, Saturday. What would you sort of do? Would
09:52you sort of go with, with Ben Killip over Joseph Bursley? That's quite a interesting
09:57competition now.
09:58Yeah, he played against Reading as well, didn't he? Um, oh yeah.
10:01Carabao Cup as well. So yeah, um, I think John Massino said he's going to start. Um, he
10:06was happy with him when he came on. Um, he's done nothing wrong in the games he's played
10:10so far, has he? Um, he was hardly a Ryan Schofield in the Cup game, um, against Reading,
10:17wasn't he? We remember Ryan Schofield, don't we? Um, so yeah, he's done absolutely nothing
10:22wrong. I know people have been criticising his kicking. His kicking was very good at
10:25Sheffield Wednesday. Um, but obviously when you play home games, people notice it, which
10:30they did against Hull. And there were definite moments when he was kicking was poor on Sunday
10:35when he was kicking the ball out into touch, including the free kick at one point, I'm sure.
10:39So yeah. Uh, and Massino mentioned afterwards, it's difficult for goalkeepers coming on his
10:43sub because they can't warm up. They can't warm up their kicking coming on the sub. So
10:49it takes a while for him to adjust. So yeah, he will start. We'll see how he is. Let's not
10:54say that Bursic's only just come into the building. He's not played competitively since November
10:59last year. Bursic. So, um, he's come straight, straight to, he's come to the club on deadline
11:08though, didn't he? So he's not even made a squad yet. So it would be difficult to put him
11:12straight into the team suddenly ahead of Killip. How do you manage that then? You say, Killip,
11:17yeah, you're number two. Oh, actually, no, no, no, no. It's not Bursic, so move over, mate.
11:21You know? So yeah. So Killip will start on Saturday, we've been told. Um, John Massino
11:28obviously doesn't, uh, lie in team use. And, um, yeah, so that's, that's the situation.
11:34Um, there was, well, obviously John Narch has been the player to be left out of the
11:3925-man squad. Is there scope for him to, to come back in if Nicholas Schmidt's injury
11:44was as bad as feared, as bad as it is, if it was to go to 12 weeks? Would Pompey bring
11:51in John Narch into the 25-man squad? Because they have got that, that one space available.
11:56Yeah, they could easily do that, couldn't they? The, the thing is that you could always
12:01bring in emergency goalkeepers anyway if there's too many injuries. So that's not an issue.
12:06That, that, that vacancy is quite handy for outfield players. So they've got plenty of
12:10goalies, haven't they? So we'll see how it develops. Um, and I think now is a time, Killip
12:17will clearly have some sort of run in the first team, um, form permitting. So it'll be a good
12:24chance to, to judge him properly, have a good look at him on a consistent basis to see how
12:29he, good he is as a goalkeeper, how good his kicking is, how good he is around the box.
12:34So we'll learn more about him, won't we, during this, this, these forthcoming weeks.
12:39Yeah. Um, I want to touch on Regan Paul and Connor Schotnessy because everything that
12:43was sort of pulled towards them on a, on Sunday, they, they defended superbly. Um, John
12:49Messino, I mean, Messino's got a load of conundrums all across the pitch at the moment, but
12:53that partnership of Regan, Paul and Connor Schotnessy, I know Josh Knight was bought
12:57in, in, in the transfer window, but they're just irreplaceable at the moment.
13:01They've been brilliant. I did ask him why he went with those two for the season,
13:07start this season, simply because they, he thought they were the best performing
13:11defenders in pre-season. So he's gone with those two. Um, they started 15 games
13:16together. Let's not forget the start of the title winning season before injury to
13:20Regan Paul. They're reunited this season and they've been, they've been so good. Absolutely
13:25superb. Three clean sheets in the opening five games. And I love the fact that Connor
13:30Schotnessy said the other day that, that Regan Paul is his favorite center half partner
13:34he's ever had in his career. Um, they've linked together so well, completely different
13:39players as well. Um, and, uh, Regan Paul has been one of the players of the year for
13:44me so far. He's been absolutely sensational, hasn't he? Um, he's, he's, he's 5'11", but
13:50what a spring he's got. What a competitor. Uh, the, the, the blocks he makes, his comfort
13:55on the ball. He, he, he, he loves a scrap. He's physical. Um, he's just everything what
14:01you want from a Pompe player, isn't he really? Um, and he's, well, he's a lovely lad as well
14:05when the nicest lads you can meet as well, isn't he? So, uh, yeah, he's been absolutely
14:10magnificent. I think when, when Knight was recruited, most people thought that Knight
14:14would come in as the right side of the center half. But he's played so well, isn't he, Regan
14:19Paul? You can't drop him now. You really can't.
14:22No. And I think the stats don't lie either. You look at the goals Pombie conceded last
14:28season, albeit with makeshift center half partnerships and, and everything like that.
14:34Pombie conceded, I think, the second most in the championship last year. The first five
14:38games a season, Pombie have kept three clean sheets and conceded three goals. The stats
14:42don't lie either. They're working so, so good together, aren't they?
14:46Yeah, it's, it's, it's the problem last year. They didn't have a consistent, settled
14:50center half partnership, did they? Because of injuries. Um, and in McIntyre's case, a bit
14:58of form. So, yeah, they, they, they, they kept chopping and changing. Marlon went back
15:02there as well, didn't he? And, um, and, and all sorts. But they've now got that. Those
15:07two are now fit. And they've got strength there. They've got Knights and Hayden Matthews
15:11is a good player, as we saw last season when he came onto the scene as well. And Boat, we've
15:15not seen too much of him for obvious reasons. Uh, he's played once as well. So they've got
15:19so much strength there in the central defense, but the two in the shirts at the moment, no
15:25one's toppling them. They really aren't. Of course, the little nag at the back of your
15:29mind are injuries because both have been impacted by injuries, haven't they? Uh, but hopefully
15:34that won't be an issue. Like it wasn't an issue for Shockness in the, in the title winning season
15:39when he played, he only missed one game. That's because he wasn't selected in the league. So,
15:43um, yeah, hopefully that, that they can stay together because they've, they've been superb.
15:48Yeah. I think that would be, that's the main area Pompey will want to, to keep fit this
15:53season because look at last year, you know, back, back end of last season, Pompey were in sort
15:59of almost playoff contention form. Um, but it was just the fact they conceded so many
16:04goals. So that's going to be the most important thing for them this season is to, to keep the
16:09centre-backs fit. But crucially, they also have plenty of depth in that. Like Hayden Matthews
16:14isn't even making the squad at the moment. And he was superb when he first came in.
16:18Yeah. Yeah. You look at Pompey away from home as well. Um, Oxford United, they had a bombardment
16:25second half with the long throws, mainly, uh, dead ball situations. They defend their box so well,
16:32absolute superb West Brom second half. Uh, again, Pompey had to defend their box and they did it
16:39brilliantly yet again, defending their box, keeping the shots down, um, uh, on their goalkeeper. Um,
16:47and, and again, Sunday, there were periods for Southampton in the second half, definitely not the
16:55first half, uh, when Pompey just dominated it, uh, second half where Pompey had to defend,
17:01but the defenders were excellent again, especially defending their box to the point where Killip,
17:08who's the reserve goalie put on for an injury, he barely had a touch, didn't he? He barely had a save
17:13to make. So they are defending their box as a, as a defensive unit, as a team, absolutely brilliant
17:21at the moment away from home, uh, which they never had last season. The capitulations,
17:27Derby, um, Stoke, West Brom, the, the, uh, the opening of the Cardiff away game, dear me,
17:35just terrible. Um, but they've got the defenders back fit now. They've got a far, far better squad.
17:42I'm not going to disparage and criticise the players that have left who are on the bench
17:47around those periods, but Bristol City is away as another one. They're, they're, they're far
17:51stronger now, Pompey and those players that they had to offload are now in league one, aren't they?
17:56So it's, it's just a completely different look about Pompey at the moment.
18:00Yeah. One player I want to touch on who hasn't really had any impact since he's come in,
18:05in the summer is, uh, Mark Kosnowski. Um, Pompey obviously reportedly paid a quite sizable fee for him.
18:12Uh, he's just not, he's not appeared in the squad at all. What's the, um, what's going on there?
18:18Uh, it's, it's, it's a funny one, isn't it? Mainly because Giselle and Swift are playing so well.
18:25And John McIntyre still acknowledges that the number six role is not Swift's best position.
18:31He said it again yesterday. Uh, but Pac's been injured. He's trying to ease Leroux in.
18:37So he's been playing there and he's done very well alongside Giselle. Um, Kovnowski
18:41is more of a, an attacking midfielder. And again, they, they haven't got the room for him at the
18:49moment. Um, he played as a number 10 against Reading in the Carabao Cup, which is not necessarily
18:55his position, but they just wanted to get in a game somewhere in midfield, which is fair enough.
19:00I think no issues there, but, um, but he didn't have a great game in that role and we've not seen
19:06too much of him at all. He'd come on the last few minutes of games, didn't we? Uh, Luke Leroux's made far
19:10more of an impact, but he's a different player and a different role, isn't he? So I think you've
19:16just got to look at the team and that midfield parent at the moment, Swift, and especially
19:19Giselle, you're not, you're not dropping those two, are you really? Giselle's been
19:22superb yet again.
19:24I mean, that, that partnership on, on, on Sunday, it was clear to see, wasn't it? It was,
19:29we were at West Brom, there were a couple of dodgy passes between them. And then there
19:33were a few eyebrows raised where these two probably can't work together. But over the last
19:38couple of games, Preston and Southampton clearly solidified why those two had a grown partnership
19:46together and they're, they're going to be key for Pompey, especially Andre Dezel. I think
19:50he's, he's come on leaps and bounds this season.
19:52Yeah. I thought Southampton was Swift's best game for Pompey, especially that first half
19:57because Southampton, bizarrely, I mean, we won't go too much about this game, but bizarrely
20:03Southampton let Pompey have the ball and dictate the tempo. And Pompey were in no rush.
20:08They're away from home against a side with millions upon millions lavished upon the team.
20:13So Pompey were quite happy and able to keep the ball. And, and Swift dictating play completely
20:20from, from deep, wasn't he? So he's done very, very well. So again, Kovnowski's got to adjust
20:26to the game and he's got to get into that team above players who are playing very well at
20:30the moment.
20:31Hmm. Oh, it's a difficult conundrum from Asino. On to, on to Saturday then. Pompey play, um,
20:37Sheffield Wednesday. They've only picked up one point and it's, it's been a difficult
20:43start for the season for Sheffield Wednesday, hasn't it?
20:44Yeah. You look at the league table. Uh, we all know that what's going on at the club. Um,
20:51those of us who witnessed similar issues at Pompey all those years ago can completely empathize,
20:57sympathize. To my knowledge, their fans didn't gloat about Pompey's demise. So there's a bit
21:03more empathy there towards them as opposed to Reading. But, um, yeah. And then, then their
21:08owners got a very similar name to a former Pompey owner as well. So, uh, yes, it's, um, it's,
21:15it's, they're always going to be favorites for, to finish in the bottom three, weren't
21:20they? What they've gone through, the players have lost, embargoes, financial issues. So,
21:25um, uh, it'd be the one, the rare games really that Pompey are favorites for. Yeah. In the
21:30championship. Well, there, I know there's been plenty of protests this season. To your
21:34knowledge, have you, um, do you know of any protests that might take, might happen this
21:39week? I know we've got a report to Alex, Alex Miller up at, up at Sheffield. Is there
21:44any sounds of a protest this, this Saturday? Uh, just in the process of trying to find
21:49that out. Um, I know their, their supporters trust has been very proactive. Their fans
21:54have responded superbly as well, uh, making this stance against the owner. Um, the club's
22:00an absolute mess and that's no, through, through no fault of the fans. But as we know, as we
22:04saw at Fratton Park, the fans can do something. They can protest. They can make their, their
22:10feelings known. They can make their voices heard. So, um, good look to Sheffield Wednesday's
22:16fans trying to find a way out of this mess. Uh, while no doubt supporting their team during
22:22the 90 minutes on the pitch in what's clearly going to be a difficult season for them trying
22:27to stay in the championship. Well, I'm sure Pompey fans will do their bit as well. Thank
22:31you very much, Neil, for joining me in the latest episode of Pompey Talk. You can catch all
22:35the action from Pompey Sheffield Wednesday on pausing.co.uk on Saturday. Thank you very
22:40much, Neil, and we'll see you in the next episode.
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